Regents ReviewPhysical Setting/Earth Science

Mrs. DuffyHenninger High School

Syracuse, NY

Be Prepared for Exam Day• Bring to test site:

– Identification (student ID, drivers license, etc)– 2 pens– 2 sharpened pencils– Functioning calculator

• Get a good nights sleep• Eat a good breakfast• Start studying now!!!!

Cell phones,iPods,

Gameboys,mp3 players,

etc.

Review and Study Ideas• Review Books: local bookstore and library• Review Classes: school review classes and

peer study groups • On-line review sites:

– http://www.nysedregents.org/EarthScience/– http://regentsprep.org/Regents/earthsci/earthsci.

cfm• Practice a complete exam before test day

Exam Format• Part A and B1– Multiple Choice

– Demonstrate understanding of scientific concepts and principles

• Part B2 – Constructed Response – Student provides the answer to the question

• Part C – Extended Constructed Response – Similar to Part B2 but requires more student time

and effort

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions• Read the question and try to answer before

looking at the choices

• Read the question and try to answer before looking at the choices

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Ask yourself if the ESRTs can be used• Make sure you know what is in the ESRTs

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

Dry Bulb: 2°CWet Bulb: -1° C

Difference: 3°

Answer: 51%

pg. 12 ESRTs

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Ask your yourself if the ESRTs can be used• Make sure you know what is in the ESRTs

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Look for and identify key words to help understand what the question is asking

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Eliminate obvious distracters

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Just because a choice may have some truth, it does not mean that it answers the question

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

Also…• Read all choices before answering a

question• Skip over hard questions for later• Information in one part of the test may be

helpful in other parts• Do not leave any answers blank -- if all else

fails, guess

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

• Contains multiple parts and/or steps• Requires you to develop your own response• Included on the exam to:

– assess your understanding rather than your memorization

– demonstrate your ability to solve problems and integrate data

– display your knowledge of skills such as graphing, calculating, and drawing isolines and profiles

Constructed Response Questions

• Know what will be expected of you• Always include units in your answers • Make sure your answers match the form

asked for• Reply with complete, well constructed and

organized sentences when asked• Use your answer sheet for clues on how to

answer questions

Tips for Constructed Response Questions

Constructed Response – Practice 1

Constructed Response – Practice 1

Constructed Response – Practice 1

AB

C

Constructed Response – Practice 1

Constructed Response – Practice 1

The water velocity decreases; or

The particles slow down and are deposited

Constructed Response – Practice 2

Constructed Response – Practice 2

pg. 13 ESRTs

Constructed Response – Practice 2

Constructed Response – Practice 2

pg. 13 ESRTs

Constructed Response – Practice 2

1009.6

mT

rain

pg. 13 ESRTs

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Don’t forget to label each mark

with an elevation!

Constructed Response – Practice 3

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

gradient = change distance

gradient = 100 ft – 20

ft distance

pg. 1 ESRTs

gradient = change distance

gradient = 80 feet distance

gradient = 80 feet distance

Constructed Response – Practice 3

gradient = change distance

gradient = 80 feet distance

gradient = 80 feet 4 miles

Constructed Response – Practice 3

gradient = change distance

gradient = 80 feet distance

gradient = 80 feet 4 miles

Constructed Response – Practice 3

20 feet/mile

Constructed Response – Practice 3

Constructed Response – Practice 3

• Streams flow from high elevation to low elevation

• “V’s” point upstream• The closer together the

contour lines are, the more change within that distance

Constructed Response – Practice 3

southeast

• Streams flow from high elevation to low elevation

• “V’s” point upstream• The closer together the

contour lines are, the more change within that distance

Constructed Response – Practice 3

southeast

The contour lines are close together

• Streams flow from high elevation to low elevation

• “V’s” point upstream• The closer together the

contour lines are, the more change within that distance

Midpoint

Earth Science Reference Tables

• Provided for all students to use during the written exam

• Be familiar with the ESRTs prior to exam• Some questions require the use of the

ESRTs, while for other questions, the ESRTs may be helpful

• Not all questions will prompt you to use the ESRTs

Laboratory Performance Test

• Evaluate lab skills developed throughout the year

• Must be taken before the written exam• May count for approximately 15% of overall

test grade• Consists of three stations• Allotted 9 minutes to complete the tasks

associated with each station

pg. 16 ESRTs Minerals• Mineral: naturally occurring substance with

a unique crystalline structure and chemical composition

• Identification based on: – Luster: metallic or non-metallic– Hardness: resistance to being scratched;

measured on the Mohs scale – Cleavage or fracture: how the mineral breaks– Streak: colored powder, if any, left behind after

mineral is rubbed on a surface– Acid test: bubbles result if calcium carbonate is

present

pg. 6 ESRTs Igneous Rocks• Igneous rock: formed from cooled and

hardened magma (intrusive) or lava (extrusive)

• Intrusive: formed inside earth– coarse grained and large crystals (granite)

• Extrusive: formed outside earth– glassy appearance (obsidian)– vesicular: gas pockets (pumice)– fine grained and small crystals (basalt)

Sedimentary Rocks

• Sedimentary rock: generally formed from compaction and cementation of smaller rocks and/or sediments

• Generally formed in aquatic environments• Key characteristics:

– Visible sediments or pieces of other rocks (such as sand, pebbles, silt, and cobbles)

– Fossils may be present

pg. 7 ESRTs

Metamorphic Rocks

• Metamorphic rock: formed when existing rocks undergo intense heat and pressure

• Generally formed deep in lithosphere• Key characteristics:

– Foliation: thin layering due to mineral alignment

– Banding: type of foliation where minerals are separated into bands

pg. 7 ESRTs

Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity • Ellipse: oval; elongated circle with two

centers called foci – the shape of all planetary orbits in our solar system

• Eccentricity: degree of ovalnessFoci

Major Axis

• Eccentricity is: – Never less than zero or greater than 1– Unitless – Rounded to the nearest thousandths (0.000)

pg. 1 ESRTs

Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity • Eccentricity = distance between foci

length of major axis

length of major axis

distance between foci

pg. 15 ESRTs

Elliptical Orbits and EccentricityRemember:• The ellipse represents the shape of the path

a planet travels around the sun• The sun is one of the two foci• The greater the eccentricity, the more oval

the ellipse

• The elliptical shape of an orbit causes the distance from the sun to the planet to change

Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity

• When a planet is close to the sun:– Gravitational attraction

increases– Apparent diameter increases– Orbital velocity increases

• When a planet is far from the sun:– Gravitational attraction

decreases– Apparent diameter decreases– Orbital velocity decreases

Earthquakes and Epicenters• Epicenter: location on earth’s surface

directly above the focus (where the earthquake originates)

• Distance to the epicenter can be determined if the travel times of the P- and S-waves are known

• Lagtime: difference in travel time between the P- and S-waves

Earthquakes and Epicenters

lag time: 6 min

pg. 11 ESRTsEarthquakes and Epicenters

Lag time: 6 minutes

pg. 11 ESRTs

Lag time: 6 minutes

Earthquakes and Epicenters

Lag time: 6 minutes

pg. 11 ESRTsEarthquakes and Epicenters

Lag time: 6 minutes

4,400 km

pg. 11 ESRTsEarthquakes and Epicenters

Earthquakes and Epicenters

Earthquakes and Epicenters• To locate the earthquake’s epicenter, a

minimum of three seismic stations are needed

• With one station, there are many possible epicenters

Station 1

Earthquakes and Epicenters• With two stations, there are only two

possible epicenters

Station 1

Station 2

Earthquakes and Epicenters• With three stations, there is only one

possible epicenters

Station 1

Station 2

Station 3

In Summary…• Be prepared for test day

– Get supplies together the night before– Get a good nights sleep and breakfast

• Start studying now• If you don’t understand a topic, ask for help before

the test• Practice test taking strategies• During the exam: Take your time and read carefully• Check your work if time is left• Relax and take a deep breath!